Toothbrush protector



` Jime 1 5 1926.

1,588,781 G. c. "sToDDARD TooTHBRUsH PROTECTOR Fild Nov. 1o, 1924 Patented June 15, 1926.y

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' erroneos` c. sronDAnD, 0E SOUTH PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

TOOTHBRUSH PROTECTOR. l

Application r111ml November 10, 1924. Serial No. 749,101.

V tion that lwill permit the bristle end of a tooth brush to be thrust upwardly into the receptacle and to provide integral with the receptacle wall a lip or shoulder upon which the lowermost bristles of the brush rest to support the tooth brush that has been thrust into the receptacle, said lip being of a construction that will insure to a large degree againstbreakage thereof, 4

A further object is to yeffect a secure 'mounting -for the receptacle, but one 'that will admit of ready detachment of the receptacle therefrom so that said receptacle can be easily cleansed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a tooth brush protector constructed in accordance with the provisions of this invention as the same appears when mounted in lposition for use, a tooth brush being indicated with the bristle portion thereof inserted in the receptacle.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the re ceptacle.

Fig. 3 is a -plan section on the line indicated by 3-3,.Fig. 1.'

There is provided a receptacle 4` constructvedof any suitable material but preferably of glass, the upper end thereof being closed by a dome-shaped head 5. The receptacle is preferably cylindrical. The lower end of the receptacle 4 is open, as indicated at 6, so that a tooth brush, indicated at a in Fig. l, can be thrust upwardly through the opening 6 inorder that the bristle portion ofthe brush will becovered by the receptacle 4.

Interiorally ofthe receptacle 4an'd forming, in this instance, a portion of the'wall thereof, is a lip or shoulder 7. This lip Aor shoulder is formed, in this instance, by the upper portion of la member 8v that is Y- shaped in cross section. The member 8 1s formed by an indentation in theouter face of the receptacle. of the member 8 is rounded, as indicatedV at 9 so that the bristles of the tooth brush will Sfide past the shoulder 7 without `injury to said bristles. The shoulder 7 contracts the The inner edge portion bore of the receptacle 4 suiciently so that the tooth brush, when inserted vinto the receptacle with its bristles pointing toward the shoulder 7, cannot pass between the shoulder 7 `and the opposite side of the receptacle without the bristles being flexed by contact with the shoulder 7.' The V-shape of the member 8 is preferably in order that amin-l imum number of the. bristles of the tooth brush will be flexed at ony one time while the tooth brush is being inserted in or removed from the receptacle, thus making it very easy to insert and extract the toot brush.

The edge portion 9 of the member 8 forms a chord in the cylindrical bore of the receptacle, both ends of the member 8 being integral portions of the wall of the receptacle, thus providing for a relatively strong lip so that if the lip be struck a hardblow accidentally with the end of the tooth-brush, while inserting the tooth-brush, will not be easily broken.

At suitable locations on the outer face of the receptacle 4 are spaced beads 10. In this instance one of the beads 10 constitutes the rim of the receptacle and the other kbead is positioned between the lip 7 and rim. The

space between the beadsl 10 constitutes 'a groove 11 and yieldingly engaging said groove are spring arms having semi-circular said lip portions 12 and outwardly bent tips 13. The l.

and portions 14 springing apart sufficiently for this purpose. To return the receptacle to the bracket, it isonly necessary to force it inwardly between the tips'13. 1

When it is desired to insert a tooth-brush in the receptacle, so that the bristle portion thereof will be protected thereby against germ-laden dust, the operator will insert the tooth-brushendwise into the receptacle, with the bristle portion uppermost, and, when the bristles come into contact with the member s rinfr arms also com rise strai ht ortions 8, he 'will force Vthe tooth brush upwardly,

thus slightly iexing the bristles so that the bristle portion will pass the member 8.

After the bristles have passed the member 8 they will spring into their normal straight position and, upon the operator releasing the tooth-brush, the lowermost bristles will catch upon the lip 7 so as to prevent the toothbrush from dropping out of the receptacle- When it is desired to-use the tooth-brush it can be quickly detached from the receptacle by simply pulling it straight downward so as to cause the bristles to be flexed by enf gagement with the lip 7.

It will be noted that there is no angular portion to the member 8 that the tooth-brush can strike against so 'as to tend to break said member or to injure the bristles of the brush, consequently there is a decided advantage in having the opposite ends of the member 8 forming integral portions of the wall of the receptacle.

If desired, a hole 17 may be provided in the wall of the receptacle to permit of the escape of watery vapor and to insure air circulation,

I claim:

A tooth-brush protector comprising a cylindrical receptacle closed at its upper end and open at its lower end, a member V- shaped in cross section projecting inwardly and the inner edge portion of said member being rounded and said portion forming a chord in the bore of the receptacle, and both ends of said member being integral portions of the wall of the receptacle.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 27th day of October, 1924.

GEORGE C. STODDARD. 

